For the last three decades, magnetic data storage has remained the cornerstone for machine-readable data storage. In the 1970's, research efforts were devoted to investigate new generations of data storage devices based on nonmagnetic principles, such as optical data storage systems. Whereas magnetic data storage disks provide excellent access time and erasability, optical data storage systems can provide a unique combination of superior performance features that make them most appropriate for large memory applications. Optical data storage disks promise to offer low cost-per-byte, improved accessing characteristics and higher storage efficiency.
Due to the importance of large-memory systems, there is a strong need to develop new types of data storage systems that have the potential to be efficient and cost effective. A variety of nonalterable read-only optical data storage media have been proposed and developed. Spectro-chemical methods, such as the "hole-burning" technique, have been suggested for optical data storage.
The SERS phenomenon has received great interest in fundamental research and more recently in applied studies. Most of the SERS investigations have involved spectroscopic studies of chemical compounds. However, no known systems use the SERS effect for data storage.
Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide a system for high density optical data storage based on the SERS effect. It is an additional object of this invention to provide a SERS-based system for random access read/write optical data storage applications.